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Entrepreneur Profile: Sherry Lebed Davis & Healthy-Steps

I met with an amazing woman and entrepreneur, Sherry Lebed Davis, Co-Founder of Healthy-Steps. Sherry, a lifelong professional dancer and dance instructor, founded the company with the help of her brothers, both physicians after the realization that there was no good health programs for people struggling or recovering from breast cancer. They watched their mother, a once a vibrant professional ballroom dancer, struggle both physically, emotionally and spiritually after having survived her own fight with breast cancer. They decided they needed to do something about it and began work on what eventually became Healthy-Steps.

Company Overview

Healthy-Steps is a therapeutic movement program incorporating uplifting, fun music. Originally starting as a recovery program for women to improve their quality of life and healing during and after their fight with breast cancer, it has expanded its offerings to include wellness programs for everyone, from young adults to seniors, regardless of health, age or ability level, the Healthy-Steps program improves overall wellness, range-of-motion, balance, strength and endurance, as well as emotional well-being and self-image.

The Market

Healthy-Steps reaches their target market through certified instructors who teach the program internationally in hospitals, wellness centers and senior living communities. While the fitness, health & wellness industry is full of competition for the broader market, Healthy-Steps’ unique advantage is it is one of the only programs approved and recommended by the US Administration on Aging and the National Cancer Institute which makes it specifically positioned for the growing senior population as well as current and surviving cancer patients. Aside from those actually participating as students in Healthy-Steps classes, Healthy-Steps also markets to fitness instructors.

The Business Model

Maintaining and growing the certified instructor base is at the core of the revenue model. The primary 3 day instructor certification class costs $450 per person. Once an instructor, the cost to maintain instructor status is a $150 licensing fee per year. In addition to the yearly licensing fee instructors must complete a certain number of learning credits which can be accomplished various ways including additional trainings offered by Healthy-Steps.

Healthy-Steps nurtures the continued growth and development of its instructors by offering quarterly newsletters, marketing materials and advice, community conference calls and the ability to network with the entire Healthy-Steps network.